Electronic warfare moves to space in Russia-Ukraine war

BLUF: Ukrainian intelligence relies on SAR satellites for reconnaissance on enemies' territory, but Soviet legacy allows Russia to incapacitate them. Also, Ukrainian drone maker Wild Hornets working on new FPV drone with shotgun and Russians has integrated AI in Shahed drones.

THE BIG STORY: Russians learned to jam SAR satellites: here how it works

Ukraine did not have its own satellites in orbit before the full-scale war. 

But in August 2022, the Prytula Charity Foundation purchased a satellite from Finland-based company ICEYE, as well as access to a network of 30 other SAR satellites for Ukraine's military intelligence directorate, known as HUR. 

SAR satellite uses an imaging technique that uses radar pulses to produce two or three dimensional images, using the motion of the radar antenna over a target region.

The so-called “people's satellite” has already helped Ukrainian forces cause billions of dollars in damage for Russia, said HUR. For example, by summer 2024 ICEYE made over 4,700 images of Russian military objects: 370 air bases, 238 air defense and signals intelligence positions, 153 oil depots, 147 ammunition depots, and 17 naval bases.

However, Russia has electronic warfare systems that can interfere with the operation of these satellites. Plus, they claim the ability to target satellites in general. Recently, Russians have been able to interfere with commercial SAR satellites: in November 2023, Russian EW disrupted the ‘Sentinel 1 C-SAR’ satellite, owned by European Space Agency. 

According to the satellite, it looks like white noise in a particular area, and it’s impossible to recognize what is hidden underneath it. 

Ukraine’s satellite ICEYE is also SAR. That means that Russian electronic warfare theoretically can interfere with it, too. We sent requests to HUR and ICEYE, but have not yet received any response.

 Inside the SAR satellites

SAR — means a synthetic aperture radar. This means that the satellite can take pictures independent of weather conditions and daylight. This allowed Ukrainian intelligence to depend not only on Western partners for quickly obtaining necessary data about Russian objects.  

Generally, SAR satellites have a lot of advantages:

• High resolution of up to 25 cm;

• Penetration of foliage and soil due to longer wavelengths;

• No sun glint; 

• All-weather and daytime imaging.

But there are also disadvantages:

• Grayscale images, instead of colors: SAR imagery is based on the amplitude and the phase of signal;

• Prior knowledge is required to know what you are planning to look at. Without preparation, it’s hard to recognize what kind of structure is on the image; 

• The radar is sensitive to some surface properties. Areas with heterogeneous terrain or with high moisture may cause problems in image analysis and influence the SAR imagery.

All SAR-satellites works on different bands, which mean frequency and wavelength of the signal that radar sends on Earth. ICEYE SAR-satellite works on the L-band, on 1200 MHz frequency and with 25 cm wavelength. This allows the satellite to get deeper into the ground and to be less dependent on Earth conditions.

According to Maksym Cherkis, R&D developer at Defence Builder startup cluster, long L-band waves enables:

• Deeper penetration through cloud, dense vegetation, rain and top layer of soil; it allows the satellite to collect information even under forest cover, compared to SAR satellites working on different types of band.

• Higher signal coherence is a measure of how closely two signals or data sets are related. It helps improve the accuracy of analyzing surface changes using interferometric SAR (InSAR).

• Independence from weather conditions. Even with heavy rain or moisture, L-band is less sensitive to weather due to wavelength.

The operation of the SAR satellite is like a ping-pong ball, explains Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, deputy director of Piranha Tech, a Ukrainian manufacturer of EW systems. 

When a signal is sent to Earth, it's like one player hitting the ball, and when it bounces back, it's like the other player returning it. 

EW changes the characteristics of a reflected signal. 

The communication between satellite and ground-base works on a specific frequency. If the enemy knows the frequency, its EW station can interrupt their communication.  

How Electronic Warfare Can Jam Radar Operations 

Jamming SAR satellites works in the same way as regular jamming on the ground. It is as if two people are talking to each other, and a third person is screaming between them.

“The idea [of Russian space EW] involves creating interference in the X-band (8–12 GHz), where SAR satellites operate. By disrupting the signals needed to receive proper radar reflections, the resulting image can either be distorted or rendered completely unavailable,”  explained Cherkis.

The commercial satellites that Ukraine uses are vulnerable to Russian EW countermeasures, said Jack Aureliano De Santis, CEO of Omira Systems, a US-based EW startup that is operating in Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russian army has many tools to create interference in space. It inherited extensive electronic warfare capabilities after the collapse of the USSR. During the 2010s, it actively invested in rearming and developing new systems (Read our coverage about the history of Russian EW via this link).

 Russians has three EW stations that are able to create interferences for satellite signals:

• The Krasukha-4 is designed to suppress radar signals, including SAR satellites. It can block radar waves by altering their parameters and creating radio interference in the frequency range used by SAR.

• The Moskva-1 is a passive system capable of detecting radar emission sources, including SAR satellites, and directing other means to create interference.

• Divnomorye is a mobile system for suppressing radar signals that can operate at long distances.

The bad news for Ukraine – and all of Russia’s adversaries – is that interference can affect intelligence operations with SAR satellites during the winter. Usually the weather in this period is cloudy, so hundreds of Western optical satellites can’t see through clouds, because they use regular cameras. 

The good news: Russia cannot protect its entire territory from reconnaissance. The reasons are its vast territory and a shortage of EW systems.

Russia also claims they have electronic warfare systems that can damage satellites. 

However, there hasn't been any evidence of this yet, said Khrapchynskyi. Cherkys added: theoretically, Russians can try to jam communication signals between SAR satellites and ground stations. This would make data receiving on the ground and satellite control more difficult. But for this, the source of interference would need to be in orbit around the Earth

How to Counter Electronic Warfare in Space? 

The first possible solution is to equip the SAR satellite with a phased array antenna, that consists of numerous antennas positioned in an array with each other. 

These antennas concentrate on a specific area and send (or receive) a signal from a specific area. That's how the satellite would understand when it receives a correct signal versus a fake or distorted one, said Khrapchinkyi. A similar system is used on fighter jets like the F-16, so it could be integrated into satellites. 

To bypass EW, some satellites can also switch operation bands from L to X, said Cherkis. However, in this case, the satellite cannot see through obstacles on the ground. Furthermore, not all satellites have this functionality.

BUSINESS LUNCH TOPICS: What our reporting shows!

1. Poland has announced its first encrypted radio communicator PERAD.

The Polish WB Group has introduced the PERAD, featuring a cryptographic encryption module. Similar technology is used in Ukrainian HIMERA stations. 

PERAD is the first Polish broadband personal radio with a cryptographic module that provides IP-based data transmission, including photos, video, and voice communication. The device and its accessories have successfully passed qualification tests.

HIMERA's developers noted similar technical specifications, which are crucial for creating radios. But, there are no direct similarities in software. 

"The PERAD product demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction, just like NATO countries," said Misha Rudominski, co-founder of HIMERA to Counteroffensive.Pro.

2.  Ukrainian parliament approved draft law No.12245 improving the procedure of allocating investment projects.

The adoption of this law is one of the requirements of the International Monetary Fund for future financial support. It proposes the creation of a general public investment fund, which will be distributed by the Strategic Investment Council of the Ukrainian government. 

This "big fund" will receive billions of hryvnas which were previously divided between many funds and subventions (such as the road fund, radioactive waste management fund, decarbonization fund, etc.). According to the draft law, this money would be distributed by the government. It will allow collecting all the important projects into one portfolio to ease it proposal to Western partners. And government will uniform rules and criteria to select investment project. Previously, they had to make separate procedures for each fund or subvention.

3. Ukrainian drone manufacturer 'Wild Hornets' is developing a shotgun for FPV drones

One of the recent developments in countering drones is integrating shotguns on the drone itself (we will cover this issue in the future). In this device, invented by 'Wild Hornets' the gun is carried by a big drone called 'Queen of Hornets'. It is based on a 15” body frame and can carry up to 9.5 kg. 

However, this drone will not carry the whole shotgun, but the lightweight barrel with shrapnel with is now developed by the team, said Vyacheslav, the representative of 'Wild Hornets'. This anti-drone project is in the testing stage now, he added.

4. Russia has integrated AI in Shahed kamikaze drones

Russia has reportedly equipped some of its Shahed-136 kamikaze drones with elements of artificial intelligence. These include machine vision for autonomous navigation and target recognition, enhancing its ability to bypass electronic warfare defenses and identify critical infrastructure.

Usually, Ukrainians use mobile fire groups to shoot down drones, or employ EW and GPS jamming. But with Russian upgrades, the Shahed will become a more complicated target.

“With the development of AI, countering drones will become more difficult, and there will be a growing demand for various types of interceptors that will target and destroy drones in the sky,” said one of the engineers at Frontline, a Ukrainian startup that develops AI drones and software.

In Collaboration with CENTRE UA – Ukrainian orders/legislation we’re tracking: 

Law No.12266 of November 29, 2024 that extended tax and customs benefits, in particular for drone makers 

Initiated by 63 deputies, headed by Danylo Hetmansev ('Servant of the People' party)

Status: Approved and signed by the President of Ukraine.
Through 2025, tax and customs benefits will be extended, including:

• Exemption from customs duties for components used in ammunition production.

• Benefits for importing drones and related equipment, including night vision devices, anti-drone rifles, and thermal imagers will be extended.

• Expansion of benefits to cover components for all unmanned systems, including ground and naval drones, not just aerial ones.

These measures will help reduce the cost of defense products, speed up their delivery to the frontline, and foster the development of high-tech domestic manufacturing. 

ON THE MOVE: Professional movement, promotions and industry news.

Know someone in the defense tech space who has made a professional move? Drop us a line at [email protected]! 

• Maria Pysarenko has joined the communications department at Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries. She will continue to help with communications in Prytula Foundation, where she worked before, Pysarenko told Counteroffensive.Pro.

• Sven Kruck has become Co-CEO at Quantum Systems, specializing in the development, design and manufacture of small unmanned aerial vehicles.

• SkyLab, a Ukrainian drones producer, is hiring an embedded software developer.

• Daniil Menshchikov became a CDTO at the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine.

30 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH:

Aerodynamics specializes in the production of combat drones – quadcopters, hexacopters, and octocopters. They have proven their efficiency both over time and on the battlefield. They are currently focused on developing an innovative anti-Shahed drone to protect the Ukrainian skies from daily attacks of Shahed UAVs.

“To bring this project to life, we seek an investment of $200,000. These funds will be allocated to the research and development (R&D) of the anti-Shahed drone and to expanding our production capabilities, enabling us to manufacture 150 anti-Shahed drones per month,” said Maksym Korotenko, CEO and co-founder of Aerodynamics.

MUST READS:

1. For the first time in the world, a Ukrainian F-16 pilot destroyed six cruise missiles during a single combat mission. Four of them were destroyed by air-to-air missiles (F-16 carries only four missiles of this type). Two other missiles were shot down by an aircraft gun.

2. The Ministry of Defense has codified and approved for use in the army the Ukrainian-made ground robotic system Ravlyk (Snail).

3. For the first time, Ukrainian FPV drones used naval drones as springboards to neutralize three Russian air defense systems (two 'Pantsir S1' and one 'Osa').

4. The Ministry of Defense has approved the reconnaissance drone Shchedryk for use within the defense forces. It can fly at 150 km/h speed with a range of 40 km and a maximum altitude of 4 km.

5. The manufacturer of EW equipment INFOZAHYST has received a loan of 100 million UAH for a one-year term under a new state loan program, which provides 5% annual interest per year for Ukrainian defense companies. The loan was provided by the state-owned Ukreximbank and other Ukrainian banks. 

6. Russia has developed a remote control system for an anti-tank missile system called Konkurs.

7. Inguar Defense, a Ukrainian armored vehicles' producer, has received the first orders from the state for the Inguar-3 armored vehicle from two organizations that remain undisclosed yet. Due to security reasons, they did not provide additional details. 

8. In 2024, the Ministry of Defense adopted over 1,300 models of weapons and military equipment, 75% were produced in Ukraine.Share the newsletter

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